Combination of strongbox and anchoring means



M. FURMAN 3,146,739

consumos oF smonssox AND Ancaonmc mms Sept. l, 1964 R w om IIA-m2 ./l: m FW m rvumulwhnunndnlhwM/rwunnnunnnunnnuh mnuuuununnunwnnnnnnnnnnnnmmmmm W n WW W M JL, lisa@ q Filed July 2v, 1952 United States Patent O 3,146,739 CMBlNATlON F STRONGBOX AND ANCHRING MEANS Murray Furman, 553 Ashford St., Brooklyn 7, N.Y. Filed July 27, 1962, Ser. No. 212,968 4 claims. (er. 10a-s2) This invention relates to strongboxes, and more particularly, is concerned with providing the combination of a strongbox and anchoring means for securing the strongbox to a support.

It is an object of my invention to provide a combination of the character described which will reasonably secure valuables from pilfering.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a combination of the character described for use in a home or oice which will reasonably secure valuables by use of an anchoring means that can easily be installed in a variety of locations.

It is a further object of my invention to` provide a combination of the character described adapted so to receive a padlock so that simultaneously the cover of the strongbox is held in a closed position and the strongbox is secured to the anchoring means.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a strongbox of the character described which is of simple design, rugged in construction and inexpensive in fabrication and material.

In general, my invention consists of a strongbox, a

means for anchoring the strongbox, and a means for locking the strongbox in a fashion such as to secure it to the anchoring means.

It is a fact too well known to unscrupulous persons that those owning valuables, such as homeowners, are relatively careless in the way they handle such objects. Thus, insurance policies, wills, mortgages, bonds, wedding rings, jewelery and the like may be found lying unguarded around the various rooms of a home. Often the only protection these objects have comes from their being hidden in the bottom of a drawer, between sheets in a linen closet, in a cookie jar or other locations. These locations are too readily known to persons who have no hesitancy in taking others property.

Consider the multitude of persons who may have access to such objects, persons who may be in a room alone for a short time even while the homeowner or his wife is at home in another part of the house. Milkmen, newsboys, delivery men, plumbers, appliance servicemen, janitors, handymen-all these and many more may find themselves unwatched for a few moments or longer in a part of the home.

Such a theft when accomplished may go unnoticed for some time, making recovery of the object most di'icult.

Here is where the preventive step against pilfering needs to be taken. Here is where my invention finds its greatest use--it strengthens the conscience of the tempted personit removes from his envious gaze and ready grasp the valued possessions of the homeowner. It is not the professional thief who is guarded against by the instant invention; this task is left to large heavy safes, safety deposit vaults and the police enforcement agencies. It is the petty pilferer, the non-professional thief who may have originally entered the home for a valid reason who is thwarted by my invention. By having a designated container in which valuables may be kept, by designing this container so that it may be mounted on any flat ysurface in any part of the home and by providing a reasonably secure anchoring means to safeguard the container from pilfering, these valuables are given a fair measure of protection. The temptation to steal is thus deterred, thereby preventing the great majority of such losses.

ansias Patented Sept. l., 1964 ICC Much of this petty thievery is obviated pursuant to my invention by having a reasonably secure strongbox in the home, which itself can be placed out of view, by having a tray which can be handily and readily removed to allow easy access to the valuables in the box and by having an anchoring means to allow it to be fastened almost anywhere in the home.

These are the general objects to which my invention is directed. Other objects of my invention in part will be obvious and in part will be pointed out hereinafter.

My invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified and hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of my invention,

FIG. l is a front perspective View of my strongbox secured on its anchoring mounting by a padlock;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l, wherein the strongbox has been slid out of its anchoring mounting and the cover of the strongbox has been partially opened;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged central vertical section of the strongobx on its anchoring mounting, the same being taken substantially along the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged horizontal central section of the strongbox on its anchoring mounting, the same being taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

In general I accomplish the several objects of my invention by providing a strong rigid strongbox and anchoring means for this strongbox so designed as to allow the strongbox to be locked to the anchoring means. More particularly, the strongbox is a strong rigid stiff-walled tray. The tray in a preferred embodiment is rectangular in shape, having anges protuberant from its side walls. These flanges are slidably engaged with channels on an anchoring base which is attached to any at supporting surface, so that, in effect, the tray can slide in and out of tlllle anchoring base as would a drawer slide in and out of a c est.

The anchoring base is attached to such surface by appropriate means, as by screws or bolts. When the tray is fully slid into the anchoring base these screws or bolts are concealed by the bottom of the tray sliding over them so that when locked in place unauthorized persons are prevented from detaching the strongbox and its anchoring means from the wall by tampering with the attaching means.

The tray is provided with a cover which is pivoted on the rear wall of the tray. This cover has a frontal lip unitary with it so designed as to overlay the front wall of the tray when the cover is closed.

The lip unitary with the cover carries an apertured ear. When the cover is closed and the strongbox is slid into the anchoring base, this ear passes through an aperture in a flap pivoted on the admitting edge of the anchoring base. A padlock now placed through the apertured ear serves to firmly lock the strong box in place and simultaneously to lock the cover to the tray.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the reference numeral lil refers to a strongbox, consisting of a tray 12 having a front wall 14, a rear wall 16, two side walls 18, 20, a bottom 22 and a hinged cover 24. Although the rectangular shaped tray is a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be appreciated that the tray and the cover can be further designed to special shapes adaptive to receipt of shaped objects to be placed in the box. In addition, the tray may be internally compartmentalized or lined with materials as felt to make further embodiments of my invention.

The strongbox and its anchoring means, to be discussed hereinafter, is to be made of a strong stiff material, preferably a heavy sheet steel of from about 14 to 22 gauge. The use of such material will deter all but a professional thief from attacking the strongbox, rThe parts of the strongbox are rmly joined, as by welding. It is thus seen that heavy tools will be required to get `into the strongbox. Concerted effort, heavy tools, and a determined criminal intent will have to be expended to carry out the theft; the casual pilferer is not equipped or prepared to make such efforts.

The strongbox gives some protection against tire, because the material of which the box is made is nonarnmable, and a fire outside the box would have to heat the internal valuables to their kindling temperature before damage will ensue. The box may be internally insulated with a heat retardant e.g. asbestos to give further protection against tire. Further, the box may be painted or otherwise externally decorated so that its appearance in the home will be pleasing.

The tray has two flanges 26, 28 which are coplanar, coextensive, and substantially parallel. In my embodiment, each flange is formed by an external juncture of an extension of the bottom 18 and a right angled extension of a side wall 18 or 20. The flanges of course may be separately formed and thereafter joined externally to the walls, that is, they need not be formed by extensions of the walls and bottom.

The cover 24 is movably secured to the tray 12 as by a hinge 30 on the top edge of the rear wall 16, to allow easy selective access to the strongboxs contents. It is appreciated however, that the cover may be so secured by other mechanical means as by interlocking lugs and the like.

The cover has attached to it at its forward edge a lip 32 extending at right angles to the cover and, when the cover is closed, generally towards the bottom 18 of the tray. Thus, when the cover 24 is closed, it will be seen that the lip 32, rotating with the cover 24 on the hinge 3i) rotates in front of and overlays the front wall 14 in close proximity thereto. The lip 32 has an ear 34 mounted thereon, generally normal and external to the lip, with an aperture 36 in said ear.

The anchoring means 38 consists of a flat base 4t) having two opposite sides inwardly turned to present two substantially parallel facing channels 42, 44. The base has a stop 46 attached to it to limit insertion of the strongbox l0, so that the front wall 14 of the tray does not slide past the admitting edge 47 of the base. Here the stop is formed by turning the rear edge of the base to a normal (perpendicular) position.

The base 4t) has formed in it a plurality of apertures 48 so that the base may be rigidly fixed to any flat supporting surface. Wood screws t) are used as attaching means in the illustrated embodiment, but any appropriate fastener is acceptable based on the nature of the surface.

It is noted that it would be most desirable if the box, for extra protection, could be anchored in a location where casual observers would not readily see it. Due to the fact that my anchoring mount permits fastening to any surface, inclined from horizontal to vertical, the box may be kept under a dresser, in a closet, in the basement, or in the attic, at the homeowners choice.

The base 40 has a ilap 52 pivoted on the admitting edge 47 of the base by a hinge 53, said llap having an aperture 54 configured and disposed to allow the ear 34 to pass through it when the flap is swung against the lip 32 at such time as the cover 24 is in a closed position and is mounted on the base.

In use, the valuables desired to be safeguarded are placed in the tray, and the cover 24, rotating on the hinge 3d, is closed over the tray. The lip 32, being unitary with the cover, rotates with it so that when the cover is in a closed position, the lip overlays the front wall 14 of the tray, and so that the ear 34 projects normally to the plane of the front wall.

The flanges 26, 28 are then slid into the channels 42, 44 until the tray is prevented from sliding further by the stop 46. The Hap 52 being hinged, may now be rotated about the admitting edge 47 of the base, until it lies against the lip 32. The aperture 54 in flap 52 is so located that the ear 34 now passes through this aperture.

The aperture 36 in the ear is thus seen to present an opening forward of the ap 52. As shown in FIG. l, when the shackle of a padlock is passed through the aperture in the ear and the padlock is closed, all previous steps having been taken, the strongbox is locked.

It will be appreciated that by thus passing the shackle of a padlock through the aperture 36 in the ear 34, two locking functions have simultaneously taken place. First, the ear on the lip of the cover having been locked through the ap 52 and the base 38 to the bottom 1S, the cover is now locked in a closed position, preventing further open ing of the box. Secondly, the ear is locked tothe flap, that is, the strongbox is locked to the anchoring means, preventing the entire box from being removed. The cover is thus locked to the strongbox, and the strongbox to the anchoring means, all to the object of preventing unwarranted meddling with the enclosed valuables.

It thus will be seen that I have provided a device which achieves the several objects of my invention, and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made of the above invention, and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In combination, a strongbox comprising a strong stiff-walled tray, coplanar coextensive protuberant substantially parallel strong stiff flanges rigidly secured to opposite sides of the tray, a strong stiff cover having a frontal lip overlaying one wall of the tray, said cover being pivoted to the tray along the wall opposite said one Wall so as to provide selective access to the trays interior, anchoring means for said strongbox, said anchoring means constituting a strong stiff flat base having two opposite ends one of which is an admitting end and two opposite sides, said opposite sides being inwardly turned to present two substantially parallel facing channels slidably receiving said flanges, said ilat base having a plurality of apertures therein for passage of attaching means from said base into a flat supporting surface so that when said strongbox is received in said anchoring means the attaching means are concealed, a stop limiting the sliding movement of said tray with its secured flanges in the channels so that said one wall of said tray overlaid by the frontal lip of the cover is adjacent the admitting end of the base, a strong stiff apertured flap pivoted along the admitting end of the base, and a strong stiff external apertured ear unitary with and projecting away from said lip, said ear passing through said aperture in said flap when the flap lies against the lip, said aperture in said ear being forward of said flap when the flap lies against the lip so that insertion of the shackle of a padlock through said aperture in said ear locks the ear in the flap, thereby locking the cover in closed position and securing the strongbox to the anchoring means.

2. In combination, a strongbox comprising a strong stiff-Walled tray, coplanar coextensive protuberant substantially parallel strong stiff flanges rigidly secured to opposite sides of the tray, a strong stift cover having a frontal lip overlaying one wall of the tray, said cover being pivoted to the tray along the wall opposite said one wall so as to provide selective access to the trays interior, anchoring means for said strongbox, said anchoring means constituting a strong stiff flat base having two opposite ends one of which is an admitting end and two opposite sides, said opposite sides being inwardly turned to present two substantially parallel facing channels slidably receiving said anges, said flat base having a plurality of apertures therein for passage of attaching means from said base into a iiat supporting surface so that when said strong box is received in said anchoring means the attaching means are concealed, a stop limiting the sliding movement of said tray with its secured ilanges in the channels so that said one Wall of said tray overlaid by the frontal lip of the cover is adjacent the admitting end of the base, a strong stiff lap pivoted along the admitting end of the base and means for locking said flap to said lip, thereby locking the cover in closed position and securing the strongbox to the anchoring means.

3. In combination, a strongbox comprising a strong stiff-Walled tray, coplanar coextensive protuberant substantially parallel strong stif tlanges rigidly secured to opposite sides of the tray, a strong stiff cover having a frontal lip overlaying one wall of the tray, means movably securing the cover to the tray so as to provide selective access to the trays interior, anchoring means for said strongbox, said anchoring means constituting a strong stiff flat base having two opposite ends one of which is an admitting end and two opposite sides, said opposite sides being inwardly turned to present two substantially parallel facing channels slidably receiving said flanges, said fiat base having a plurality of apertures therein for passage of attaching means from said base into a ilat supporting surface so that when said strongbox is received in said anchoring means .the attaching means are concealed, a stop limiting the sliding movement of said tray with its secured flanges in the channels so that said one wall of said tray overlaid by the frontal lip of the cover is adjacent the admitting end of the base, a strong stiif flap pivoted along the admitting end of the base and means for locking said iiap tto said lip so that said flap, said locking means and said cover securing means hold the cover in closed position and secure the strongbox to the anchoring means.

4. In combination, a strongbox for the storage and safekeeping of cash, jewelry and the like comprising a strong stiff-Walled tray dening a rectangular chamber, said ltray having a front wall, a rear Wall, parallel side walls and a bottom wall, coplanar coextensive protuberant substantially parallel strong stiif flanges unitary with the bottom wall and extending uniformly orthogonally one from each side wall, a strong stitf one-piece cover having a perpendicular frontal lip overlaying the front wall of the tray, said cover having flanges unitary therewith overlaying the side walls of the tray, a hinge attached to the top of the rear wall of the tray rotatably securing the cover to the tray so as .to provide selective access to the trays interior, anchoring means for said strongbox constituting a strong stili one-piece at base having an admitting end, an opposed end and two opposite sides, said opposite sides being inwardly uniformly turned to present two substantially parallel facing channels of approximately equal width and depth slidably receiving said ilanges, one flange sliding in each channel, said flat base having a plurality of spaced apertures therein for passage of attaching means from said base into any flat supporting surface so that when said strongbox is received in said anchoring means the attaching means are concealed from View, a stopunitary with the opposed end of the base extending along the length thereof and limiting the rearward sliding movement of said tray with its protuberant franges in the channels by abutment thereof against the rear wall of the tray so that the front wall of the tray is adjacent the admitting end of the base, a strong stiff apertured flap, a hinge attached to the admitting end of the base and rotatably mounting the flap, and a strong stiff external apertured ear unitary with and projecting from said lip, said ear passing through said aperture in said flap when the iiap lies against the lip, said aperture in said ear being forward of said tiap when the nap lies against the lip so that insertion of the shackle of a padlock through said aperture in said ear locks the ear in the ap, thereby locking the cover in closed position and securing the strongbox to the anchoring means.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 435,310 King Aug. 26, 1890 1,340,377 Cott May 18, 1920 1,379,228 Swift May 24, 1921 2,080,038 Frederickson May 11, 1937 2,337,960 Anderson Dec. 28, 1943 2,465,057 Brandes Mar. 22, 1949 2,635,563 McBride Apr. 21, 1953 2,759,623 Hammerquist Aug. 21, 1956 

2. IN COMBINATION, A STRONGBOX COMPRISING A STRONG STIFF-WALLED TRAY, COPLANAR COEXTENSIVE PROTUBERANT SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL STRONG STIFF FLANGES RIGIDLY SECURED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE TRAY, A STRONG STIFF COVER HAVING A FRONTAL LIP OVERLAYING ONE WALL OF THE TRAY, SAID COVER BEING PIVOTED TO THE TRAY ALONG THE WALL OPPOSITE SAID ONE WALL SO AS TO PROVIDE SELECTIVE ACCESS TO THE TRAY''S INTERIOR, ANCHORING MEANS FOR SAID STRONGBOX, SAID ANCHORING MEANS CONSTITUTING A STRONG STIFF FLAT BASE HAVING TWO OPPOSITE ENDS ONE OF WHICH IS AN ADMITTING END AND TWO OPPOSITE SIDES, SAID OPPOSITE SIDES BEING INWARDLY TURNED TO PRESENT TWO SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL FACING CHANNELS SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID FLANGES, SAID FLAT BASE HAVING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THEREIN FOR PASSAGE OF ATTACHING MEANS FROM SAID BASE INTO A FLAT SUPPORTING SURFACE SO THAT WHEN SAID STRONG BOX IS RECEIVED IN SAID ANCHORING MEANS THE ATTACHING MEANS ARE CONCEALED, A STOP LIMITING THE SLIDING MOVEMENT OF SAID TRAY WITH ITS SECURED FLANGES IN THE CHANNELS SO THAT SAID ONE WALL OF SAID TRAY OVERLAID BY THE FRONTAL LIP OF THE COVER IS ADJACENT THE ADMITTING END OF THE BASE, A STRON STIFF FLAP PIVOTED ALONG THE ADMITTING END OF THE BASE AND MEANS FOR LOCKING SAID FLAP TO SAID LIP, THEREBY LOCKING THE COVER IN CLOSED POSITION AND SECURING THE STRONGBOX TO THE ANCHORING MEANS. 